Wagon loader



June 24, 1941; w. H. BOISWORTH WAGON LOADER Filed July 28, 1939 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR.

I 15 ATTORNEYS June 24, 1941. w, BOSWORTH 2,247,049

wAgon LOADER I Filed July 28, 1939 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented June 24, 1941 WAGON LOADER William H. Bosworth, Yonkers, N. Y., assignor to George Haiss Manufacturing Co. Inc., New York, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application July 28, 1939, Serial No. 287,037

2 Claims.

This invention relates to wagon loaders of the self-propelled type employing an upwardly inclined endless conveyor, into the path of which at the pick-up end thereof material to be loaded is moved under the action of a feeding mechanism as the machine is crowded at slow speed into the material to be loaded.

In some forms of wagon loaders of the type above mentioned the feeding mechanism includes a pair of spiral or worm-like feeding elements disposed at opposite sides of the conveyor at the pick-up end thereof, and in other forms of such wagon loaders the feeding mechanism includes a plurality of rotatable propeller-like digging elements disposed at opposite sides of the conveyor at the pick-up end thereof and adapted to deliver to the'material to be loaded a succession of upwardly and forwardly directed impacts so as to loosen or break up the material and thus facilitate its being moved under the action of the feeding mechanism.

Wagon loaders of the above type are sometimes used for the loading of trucks or other vehicles with gravel from banks in which relatively large cobbles or rocks are encountered. It sometimes happens that these cobbles or rocks become lodged and wedged between the conveyor structure and the material-feeding mechanism with the result that the parts of the loader between which such cobbles or rocks are wedged are often subjected to severe damage.

An important object of the present invention is to obviate the possibility of rocks becoming wedged in the manner above mentioned; and to this end the invention contemplates, in its preferred form, a pair of what are hereinafter referred to as cobble-protection plates which are provided at each side of the conveyor structure at the pick-up end thereof and cooperate with what are hereinafter referred to as master propeller blades constituting elements of a material-feeding mechanism herein illustrated as including a plurality of propeller-like digging elements.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which- Fig. 1 is a fragmental front view of a wagon loader embodying the invention; Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken on line 2-2 of Fig. 1 and showing in side elevation the greater portion of so much of the machine as appears in Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is an enlarged, fragmental, sectional view showing the feeding mechanism so advanced, with respect to its position indicated in Figs. 1 and 2, as to illustrate the preferred curvilinear relationship existing between the front edge of one of the cobble-protection plates and the next adjacent master propeller blades, and Fig. 4 is a fragmental View showing the master propeller blade of Fig. 3 and the adjacent cobble-protection plate as viewed from the right in Fig. 3.

Loaders of the type abovementioned include a conveyor frame It), adjustably mounted on a traction device H by which the machine may be propelled from place to place and crowded at slow speed toward and into the material to be loaded, there being a power unit such as an internal combustion engine, not shown, employed as driving means for the traction device as well as for the conveyor i2. The conveyor l2 includes a plurality of buckets Hi carried by a pair of chains i5 passing over sprockets, of which only the lower sprockets I6 are shown. These sprockets are secured to the intermediate portion of a shaft H which extends transversely of the machine and is journalled at It in the lower end of the conveyor frame It. It is to be understood, of course, that the driving connection, between the abovementioned power unit and the conveyor chains l5 which drive the shaft ll, is such that the shaft is rotated in the direction of the arrow A in Fig. 2.

The material-feeding mechanism herein illustrated includes the shaft ll and a plurality of (hereinafter shown as seven) radially projecting propeller blades of propeller-like digging elements 20 which are secured to the shaft ll at opposite sides of the conveyor frame Ill and are adapted to impart upwardly and forwardly directed impacts to the material to be loaded, so as to loosen such material which is then moved toward the path of the conveyor buckets I l; such movement of the material being effected by reason of the fact that the inner faces of the propeller blades at opposite sides of the conveyor are of such angular disposition that the blades exert a sweeping action on the material in directions toward the path of the conveyor buckets.

As shown most clearly in Fig. 1, the two groups of propeller blades 20 are spaced a sufiicient distance from a pair of cobble-protection plates 2i, incorporated in and forming a part of the conveyor frame I0, to accommodate on the shaft H a pair of master propeller blades or propellerlike digging elements 24 which supplement the feeding and digging action of the propeller blades 2ilso that the feeding mechanism, which includes the propeller blades 20 and the master propeller blades 24, will effectively function to feed material from opposite sides of the conveyor into the path of the buckets thereof.

As to the master propeller blades 24, it will be noted that each comprises a central hub-like unit 26 which is suitably clamped to the shaft H in the same manner as the propeller blades 20. The hub-like units 26 are so positioned on the shaft that they extend radially outwardly at an angle of approximately 45 in the rear of the next adjacent propeller blades 20. As shown most clearly in Fig. 2, the hub-like unit 26 ofeach master propeller blade 24 presents at its outer end a curved surface 21 concentric with the axis of the shaft l1 and so formed that it presents a leading face 28 disposed ina plane passing longitudinally through the axis of the shaft Each master propeller blade 24, also includes a major portion 24' which is provided throughout its length with an inclined inner face F, the angular disposition of the faces F being such (as described above in connection with thecorresponding inner facesof the propeller blades that they exert a sweeping action on the material in directions toward the path of the conveyor buckets. portions 24' of the master propeller blades 24 project outwardly from the curved faces 21 of the hub-like units 26 and are curved rearwardly with relation to the general direction in which their respectively associated hub-like units extend, with the result that these hub-like units 26 move, as the feeding mechanism is rotated in the direction of the arrow A in Fig. 2, in advance of the major portions of the master propeller blades. As will be readily understood from the drawings, the two master propeller blades 24 are identical except for the fact that the inner face F of one is oppositely inclined to the inner face F of the other. Moreover, it will be understood, reference being had particularly to Fig. 3, that the major portion 24 of each of the masterpropeller blades 24 (taking into account its approximate center or mean radius 22-1) and the direction of rotation of the material-feeding mechanism) is disposed behind the adjacent or preceding propeller blade 29 a distance corresponding to the 90 angular distance between the propeller blades 29. It is to be particularly observed that, although the master propeller blades 24 are provided with inclined inner faces F and direction in which their associated hub-like units.

extend outwardly from the shaft I1, they are, throughout their respective lengths (as illustrated in Fig. 4) spaced a uniform distance away from the respectively adjacent cobble-protection plates 2|.

It has been found in actual practice that if the major portions 24' of the master propeller blades 24 and the front edges of the cobbleprotection plates. 2 lare soreversely curved that any element of each inclined face F forms with each front edge of each cobble-protection plate the vertex of an angle greater than an acute angle and less than a straight angle, as the master propeller blades move past the front edges of. the cobble-protection plates, then the major portions of the master propeller blades effectively cooperate with the front edges of the cobbleprotection plates to urge forwardly out of the path of the master propeller blades any rock or rocks that may be caught between such blades and the front edges of the cobble-protection plates. As willbe readily appreciated from Figs.

2- and. theangleabovementioned as having its As shownin Fig. 2, the major vertex formed by the front edges of the cobbleprotection plates 2| and any element of the master propeller blades is represented by planes which intersect each other at said vertex and are there respectively tangent to said front edges and any one of said elements. Inasmuch as the angle, having its vertex formed as just described, is at all. times greater than n acute angle and less than a straight angle it will be readily appreciated that any rock that may be caught between the front edge of either cobble-protection plate 2| and the adjacent inclined master propeller blade face F will be readily forced out along said front edge and along such element of the propeller blade face as represents the point of engagement of that face with the rock. It has also been found in practice that if a rock should fall into or otherwise assume a supported position intermediate the major portions 24 of the master propeller blades 24 and the adjacent cobbleprotection plates 2| as the propeller blades 24 are moving upwardly, such rock is in the majority of cases rolled or moved forwardly along the major or curved portion of the rock-engaged master propeller blade and is dropped free and clear of the feeding mechanism at the front thereof. However, as has been determined from observation, should the rock be not so freed but carried along by the propeller blade passing upwardly beyond a substantially horizontal position,

the rock is moved or rolled rearwardly along the propeller blade and is guided in its movement along the curved surface 21 of the hub-like unit 26 to a position where it is free to. drop clear of the feeding mechanism at the-rear thereof.

Regarding the curved surface 2"! of the hub-like unit 26, it maybe well to mention, as is clearly shown in Figures=2 and 3, that such curved surface is comparable withv that of a short cylindrical sector, the radius of which is the same as that which determines the curvature of the lower edges of the cobble-protection plates 2!. As will be readily appreciated from Figures 2 and 3, the

curvature of the lower edge of the cobble-protection .plates 2|: merges with the'front edges of the cobble-protection plates.

It will be understood that, according to the present invention, the master propeller blades 24., in conjunction with their associated cobbleprotection plates. 2 function to obviate the possibility of rocks becoming wedged between the feeding mechanism and the conveyor or conveyor structure, when. such rocks fall from a gravel bank and temporarily lodgeeither between the master propeller blades and the curved front. edges of the cobble-protection plates or assume supported positions intermediate the master propeller blades and the cobble-protection plates. Moreover, it will also. be understood that the present invention obviates the possibility that any rocks that may roll into or otherwise assume positions substantially. directly beneath the master propeller blades 24 and their associated shaft I! may become wedged between the master propeller blades and-the cobble-protection plates as such propeller blades move through the lower arcuate length of their travel, because any such rocks will be engaged by the leading face of one or the other of thehub-like units 25 and consequently will-be urged; to a position beyond the curved edges of thecobble-protection plates prior to such time as, the major, portions 24 of; the master-propeller blades begin their upward travel. It will be obvious that. each cobble-protection plate at'its lower end or; smaller radiusprevents.

rocks from being forced past it under the elevator chains when they go around the sprockets, which might result in tearing the buckets off the chains. Also, it will be evident that each cobble-protection plate at its front edge insures that rocks forced out at that point will fall where they will be available for engagement either by an elevator bucket or by the master propeller the next time it comes around. The inner portions or hub-like units 26 of the master propeller blades 24 insure that there will .be no wedging effect inside of the smaller radius of the cobble-protection plates 2|.

Although only one form of the invention is herein shown and described, it will be understood that various changes may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the following claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A wagon loader comprising a conveyor adapted to receive material at the pick-up end thereof and elevate it to the discharge end of the same, material-feeding mechanism for moving the material to be loaded toward and into the path of said conveyor at the pick-up end of said conveyor and including a shaft projecting outwardly beyond said conveyor, a master propeller blade carried by said shaft adjacent said conveyor and having an inclined face, a cobbleprotection plate disposed intermediate said conveyor and said master propeller blade and having a front edge past which said master propeller blade moves incident to rotation of said shaft during operation of said feeding mechanism, said inclined face and said front edge being curved in reverse with respect to each other and each element of said inclined face forming with said front edge the vertex of an angle greater than an acute angle and less than a straight angle as said master propeller blade moves past said front edge, the sides of the first-mentioned angle being represented by planes intersecting each other at said vertex and being there tangent to said front edge and any one of said elements.

2. A wagon loader comprising a conveyor adapted to receive material at the pick-up end thereof and elevate it to the discharge end of the same, material-feeding mechanism for moving the material to be loaded toward and into the path of said conveyor at the pick-up end of said conveyor and including a shaft projecting outwardly beyond said conveyor, a master propeller blade carried by said shaft adjacent said conveyor and characterized by the fact that it includes a hub-like portion presenting a leading face and a curved outer face and by the fact that it includes a major portion having an inclined face, a cobble-protection plate disposed intermediate said conveyor and said master propeller blade and having a curved front edge past which said master propeller blade moves incident to rotation of said shaft during operation of said feeding mechanism and having a curved lower edge corresponding to said curved outer face of said hub-like portion and merging with the curvature of said front edge, said inclined face and said front edge being curved in reverse with respect to each other and each element of said inclined face forming with said front edge the vertex of an angle greater than an acute angle and less than a straight angle as said master propeller blade moves past said front edge, the sides of the first-mentioned angle being represented by planes intersecting each other at said vertex and being there tangent to said front edge and any one of said elements.

WILLIAM H. BOSWORTH. 

